Saturday, September 10, 2011

Go FIGure

Identifying a specific variety of fig tree by its leaves can be a tricky task. I have quite a few Violette de Bordeaux fig trees, but only two are planted in the ground. The figs from both plants taste amazing and appear identical. The leaves, however, are another story.

Violette de Bordeaux fig tree from Edible Landscaping.
The top picture is a VdB that I picked up from Edible Landscaping a few years ago. The leaf has five skinny prominent "fingers". The next picture is a VdB that I bought at McDonald Garden Center in Hampton, VA. Note that the leaf has three wider "fingers" and two nubs at the leaf base compared to the first picture.  The "fingers" on the Edible Landscaping VdB appear serrated and the McDonald Garden Center VdB appear smooth.

Violette de Bordeaux fig tree from McDonald Garden Center.
There are a few possible explanations. First, fig leaves can vary in appearance from tree to tree of the same variety, and leaves can vary even on the same tree. But the leaves on the above plants have almost no similarity to each other. Second, plants are easily mis-labeled in nurseries and this could explain the difference. But the fact that figs harvested from both trees look and taste identical makes this explanation doubtful. Third, because there are thousands of varieties of figs and very close similarities between some varieties, some growers may generically name figs by general appearance and taste of the fruit.

I may never know why my two plants are different, yet in the long run I won't care too much as long as the figs are tasty!  Here are a few additional fig photos from .09 Acres.

Violette de Bordeaux fig tree from McDonald Garden Center. The tree is about 4 feet tall. I harvested figs from this tree in July, and there are additional figs growing on the newer branches.

Strawberry Verte fig tree.  This tree grew about 5 feet this season is now over 7 feet tall.  I will prune it back in late winter to keep it a manageable size for harvesting figs without a ladder.
Unripe Strawberry Verte figs. We typically don't see frost in my area until late October or even early November, so these will definitely ripen before the season is over.
Celeste fig tree from Paradise Nursery in Virginia Beach. Unfortunately they closed a few years ago. I've had this tree for four years and I prune it each spring to keep it a manageable size. Now it has many branches which means many figs. These are usually the first to ripen, sometimes in late June but usually early July.
Peter's Honey figs. This tree is prolific and grows like a weed. The flavor of these figs hasn't overly impressed me this year, but they have typically ripened right after periods of heavy rain. I think it has diluted the flavor a bit.
Hardcore fig growers like me will tell you to give each tree a few years to mature before you make a decision to get rid of or replace a fig tree if the flavor isn't great. Flavor can be inconsistent when the trees are young, and it usually improves with age.  How have your figs tasted this summer?

7 comments:

Mr. H. said...

Your trees look great, I have been very tempted to try "Hardy Chicago" as it will supposedly grow and produce in zone 6...but as we are on the edge of zone 5 - 6 we have not committed to trying figs as of yet.

Thad said...

Just recently found your blog and your garden looks great! I am currently in the process of planning the landscaping for our new house. I want to include as many edibles into the plans for our yards as possible. I grew up with an unknown variety of fig tree and want to install at least one in my current yard. I am very interested in the Violette de Bordeaux, but your description of the Strawberry Verte has piqued my interest. Any other opinions on them, their growth, and their flavor?

Cheers!

.09 Acres said...

Thad, thanks for writing. Violette de Bordeaux is my favorite fig for flavor and growth. The plant stays relatively small and manageable compared to other varieites that can easily grow large and become almost unharvestable. Strawberry Verte is also interesting. This variety grows larger (from my experience) and the figs are green on the outside and pink/red on the inside. I prefer darker figs like VdB, but enjoy a good green fig as well. VdB and SV both do well in the mid-Atlantic. If you only have room for 1, plant VdB. If you have room for more, plant them both. A 3rd for consideration is Celeste. It is more common than the others, but for a reason. It's reliable, cold hardy, and has great flavor!

Thad said...

Thanks for the info! Is the Strawberry Verte the same as the Verte (Green Ischia) offered by Edible Landscaping? If not, where did you get the Strawberry Verte fig?

Cheers!

.09 Acres said...

I believe they are different varieties. Strawberry has a dark red/pink interior. I purchased mine at a local nursery in Hampton, Va. I'm not sure who sells that variety online, but folks at the Figs4Fun forum may know. Where exactly are you located?

Thad said...

Just outside of Alexandria, VA. Our new place is on the top of a hill in an established community, but the yard has been neglected for years. I have a fight on my hand against ivy and overgrown shrubbery! But, I did find some Passionflora incarnata ... the native passionfruit, known from my childhood as maypops ... in my yard.

.09 Acres said...

A little persistence should take care of your ivy and shrubbery. The Passionflora is a great find!